Dental Hygienist

You'll work with patients across the lifespan in an integrated primary care and behavioral health environment. This is an opportunity to use your clinical skills, build relationships with patients, and make quality dental care more accessible to individuals and families in our community.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, patient-centered, culturally sensitive dental hygiene services.
• Review patient charts, identify care gaps, obtain needed records, and prepare for upcoming appointments.
• Gather and document patient health, hospital, dental, and medication histories in the electronic health record.
• Take and document vital signs and seek clinical assistance when results fall outside established ranges.
• Chart dental conditions based on dentist observations and evaluations.
• Perform oral prophylaxis, including supra-gingival and sub-gingival removal of plaque and calculus.
• Take dental X-rays and prepare images for dentist review.
• Apply fluoride varnish and place pit and fissure sealants.
• Create molds of patients' teeth in preparation for restorative procedures.
• Administer local anesthetic as needed within scope of practice and certification.
• Administer and monitor nitrous oxide sedation when appropriately certified.
• Educate patients and parents or caregivers about oral health, dental hygiene, and preventive care.
• Sterilize dental instruments in accordance with CDC and agency policies and procedures.
• Provide chair-side assistance to dentists when requested or needed.
• Communicate with the dental team regarding patient treatment plans and participate in team huddles, meetings, consultations, and program development activities.
• Meet established productivity, quality, documentation, credentialing, and privileging requirements.
• Assist with patient scheduling, check-in/check-out, phone communication, record scanning, and collection/documentation of copayments as needed.
• Maintain required continuing education and training to support licensure and quality care.
• Protect the confidentiality and security of patient and organizational information and promote Chestnut's culture of customer service excellence.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education & Licensure

• Associate's degree in Dental Hygiene, including local anesthesia certification.
• Current, unrestricted Registered Dental Hygienist license in the State of Illinois.
• Basic computer skills and experience working with electronic dental records and digital X-rays.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Clinical dental hygienist experience preferred.
• Experience in general dentistry working with patients across the lifespan preferred.
• Comfort working in an integrated primary care and behavioral health environment.
• Commitment to providing high-quality care to underserved and under-resourced populations.
• Excellent communication skills and a friendly, professional approach to patient care.
• Ability to follow established program, documentation, quality, and safety protocols.